Analysis of Entrepreneurial Capabilities Based on Four Lifestyles: A Study of Rural Youth in Haft-Ashyan Rural District

Background and Objectives
The development of entrepreneurial competencies has been recognized as a driving force for steering societies toward sustainable economic development by fostering entrepreneurial tendencies and behaviors. Beyond access to financial resources, the growth of entrepreneurial competencies is deeply rooted in individuals’ value orientations and lifestyles. However, the relationship between different lifestyle patterns and the entrepreneurial competencies of rural youth has remained largely unexplored, representing an important research gap. The scarcity of such studies has led development planners to overlook the influence of rural youths’ lifestyles on the achievement of sustainable development goals. As a consequence, rural areas are increasingly experiencing rising youth unemployment and large-scale migration to industrialized and metropolitan cities, trends that inevitably carry implications for food security as well as the social and cultural fabric of rural communities. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine differences in the entrepreneurial competencies of rural youth across different lifestyle types.
Materials and Methods
The study population consisted of rural youth residing in Haft Ashian Rural District of Kermanshah County (N = 117), all of whom were included through a census approach. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire designed based on the relevant literature. The validity and reliability of the instrument were confirmed through an expert panel at Razi University and the calculation of Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the respective sections (α ≥ 0.70). In line with the study objectives, one-way analysis of variance (One-way ANOVA) was performed using IBM-SPSS Statistics to analyze the data.
Results
The findings revealed significant differences in the entrepreneurial competencies of rural youth across lifestyle groups. Specifically, these differences were statistically significant for creativity (F = 5.12, p = 0.002), achievement motivation (F = 2.98, p = 0.032), tolerance of ambiguity (F = 4.01, p = 0.009), risk-taking (F = 3.87, p = 0.011), and opportunity recognition (F = 5.43, p = 0.012). In contrast, no significant differences were found in leadership competency (F = 1.83, p = 0.171). The results of the LSD post hoc test indicated that rural youth with goal-oriented and modern lifestyles demonstrated higher levels of creativity than those with a materialistic lifestyle. Moreover, respondents with a materialistic lifestyle exhibited the lowest levels of risk-taking and tolerance of ambiguity, whereas those with modern and traditional lifestyles reported higher levels of tolerance of ambiguity.
Conclusion
The findings suggest that the entrepreneurial competencies of rural youth vary according to their lifestyles. In other words, lifestyle influences not only individuals’ occupational choices and economic activities but also the development of innovative attitudes, opportunity recognition, openness to change, and entrepreneurial behaviors. Accordingly, rural development policymakers and planners should take these findings into account by recognizing the distinctive competencies associated with each of the four lifestyle types and designing educational, extension, and support programs tailored to the entrepreneurial characteristics of rural youth. Such an approach would move beyond a one-size-fits-all strategy and promote more effective interventions for fostering rural entrepreneurship.